Are you kidding me, Mr. President?

Last updated on: May 9, 2013 at 6:09 am by Faithful Democrats

Are you kidding me, Mr. President? 2013-05-09T06:09:34-06:00 Faithful Democrats

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

On Tuesday, July 10, President Bush addressed a crowd in Cleveland, Ohio at the Intercontinental Hotel Cleveland.

The White House website characterized the address as a call "on Congress to Act to fund Vital Priorities" (see the link to the site and the text of the entire speech–bottom of this post).

Here is what the President said, in part, about health care:

On Tuesday, July 10, President Bush addressed a crowd in Cleveland, Ohio at the Intercontinental Hotel Cleveland.

The White House website characterized the address as a call "on Congress to Act to fund Vital Priorities" (see the link to the site and the text of the entire speech–bottom of this post).

Here is what the President said, in part, about health care:

“Let me talk about health care, since it's fresh on my mind. The objective has got to be to make sure America is the best place in the world to get health care, that we're the most innovative country, that we encourage doctors to stay in practice, that we are robust in the funding of research, and that patients get good, quality care at a reasonable cost. The immediate goal is to make sure there are more people on private insurance plans. I mean, people have access to health care in America. After all, you just go to an emergency room” [emphasis mine, LJ].

In his speech, the President goes on to argue against expanding almost any version of our public health care system that might eventually lead to a comprehensive, national health coverage plan, including coverage for children just above the national poverty line. This is understandable given his political ideology.

Now, we can legitimately debate the particulars of universal coverage and how to achieve that goal. The President's comments in the speech provide several "jumping off" points for such a debate. I respect the fact that the subject is complex and that numerous special interests are involved and have combined to make the entire issue a political quagmire for everyone. Future posts here will likely get at some of those issues and points for debate, as have several of my previous posts.

For today though, my attention is riveted on the remark the President made that actually reveals his perspective on what health care actually means, what it entails.

"I mean, people have access to health care in America. After all, you just go to an emergency room.”

I expect that any physician, hospital administrator or public health official who heard that statement must have been shocked, stunned, terrified and thoroughly amazed all at once!

For the President of the United States to equate health care with a visit to an emergency room demonstrates just how serious our national public health crisis really is. No wonder we are now spending over 15% of our annual Gross Domestic Product on health care related costs, while achieving so little return on our investment in quality public health outcomes when compared to other industrialized nations.

One of the President's major concerns as expressed later in the Cleveland address is how to best use our funds to achieve the maximum in public health quality and benefit. How such a concern squares with his placing the ERs of America in the default position for the nation's uninsured escapes me. Everyone knows that the emergency department is one of the most expensive health care venues available and is designed to be a station of last resort, or the first stop in an acute emergency situation.

Scroll back on this site to just last Thursday, July 12 ("A Medical Home"). That brief essay pointed out the extremely positive impact of a reliable medical home on minority health outcomes and clearly documented racially informed disparities.

In the same speech in Cleveland, the President vowed to veto a bipartisan plan to expand the Children's Health Insurance Program to more adequately care for the health of all of America's children. Members of his own party expressed shock at his threat, given the fact that the President had not had a chance to review the legislation.

There is a lot wrong here.

But, in my view, we can trace it all back to the simple-minded misconception that everyone already has health care. I mean, after all, anyone can go to the emergency room when they need to see a doctor.

[http://www.whitehouse.
gov/news/releases/2007/07/20070710-6.html]

Reader Blogs

Previous Post

July 17, 2007

Barry Lynn and Religious Liberty

Next Post

July 19, 2007 Help us pass the Dream Act!

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category About Us About Us Action Center Advertise Ask a Theologian Ask a Theologian Blogs Books Campaign Blog Candidate Spotlights Commentary Donate Facebook Featured Writers Fellows Fellows From the Pulpit General Information Hillary Clinton Interfaith Blog Latest Media Center Media Center Media Center MyBlog MyBlog News Newsflash Newsflashes Our Team Reader Blogs RSS Sermon of the Week Shop Social Networking Static Items Support Talking Points Test blogs The Basics Theology Uncategorized YouTube

Select a Month November 2020 October 2020 February 2020 August 2019 July 2018 July 2017 March 2017 February 2017 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 June 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 January 2006 August 2004

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

True or False: Believers are instructed to test everything and hold fast to what is good.

Select your answer to see how you score.

TRUE FALSE